Consolidate Your Files in the iTunes Folder
To facilitate the transfer of your library to a new computer, you may consolidate all files in your library within the iTunes folder.
- Access the iTunes application
on your PC. -
Select File > Library > Organize Library, then choose “Consolidate files.”
The original files will remain in their current locations, while copies will be stored in the iTunes folder.
Back Up Your Library and Media Files
Important: It is strongly advised to create a backup of your library.
By default, the iTunes Media folder is located within your iTunes folder:
[User folder]\Music\iTunes\iTunes Media
- Access the iTunes application on your PC.
- Select Edit > Preferences, click on Advanced, and in the “iTunes Media folder location” section, note the location of your iTunes Media folder.
- Exit iTunes.
- Navigate to your iTunes folder using File Explorer.
- Drag the iTunes folder from its current location to an external drive.
Restore from a Backup
You can restore your iTunes library from your external drive to a computer. If you are restoring an iTunes library from a different computer, ensure that your new computer has the latest version of iTunes.
- Access the iTunes application on your PC.
- Select File > Exit.
- Locate your external drive (in File Explorer), then drag the iTunes folder you previously backed up from your external drive to your internal drive.
Important: It is highly recommended to restore the iTunes folder to [User folder]\Music\iTunes\iTunes Media.
- Press and hold the Shift key while opening iTunes (navigate to Start, then select iTunes > iTunes).
- Click on Choose Library.
- Select the iTunes folder that you transferred to your computer in step 2, click Open, and then select the iTunes Library.itl file within.